§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which(a) have a statutory base, (b) admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings and (c) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntarily. [16179]
§ Mr. Kynoch[holding answer 22 February 1996]: The information requested is as follows.
All executive NDPBs sponsored by my Department have a statutory base except for the following which have no statutory base: Hannah Research Institute, Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Rowett Research Institute, Scottish Crop Research Institute, Edinburgh New Town Conservation Committee, Scottish Community Education Council, Scottish Film Council, Scottish Further Education Unit, Scottish Vocational Education Council and those which operate under royal warrant or charter—i.e. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Sports Council.
The river purification boards and Livingston development corporation admit members of the public to board meetings on a voluntary basis.
The following bodies hold on a voluntary basis open meetings or open days which may be attended by members of the public: Crofters' Commission, Edinburgh New Town Conservation Committee, National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and Scottish Sports Council.
§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) a register of members' interests, indicating in each case if this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [16828]
§ Mr. Kynoch[holding answer 27 February 1996]: The information required is as follows.
Those executive NDPBs which are covered by the Companies Acts are required to publish annual reports and some other bodies are also required by the statute creating them to publish annual reports. These bodies are:
- Hannah Research Institute
270 - Macaulay Land Use Research Institute
- Moredun Research Institute
- Rowett Research Institute
- Scottish Crop Research Institute
- River Purification Boards
- Scottish Conveyancing and Executry Services Board
- Scottish Council for Educational Technology
- Scottish Hospital Endowments Research Trust
- Scottish Seed Potato Development Council
- Scottish Vocational Education Council.
In a number of other cases the body is required by statute to produce an annual report on the exercise and performance of its functions for the Secretary of State which he is obliged to lay before Parliament. These bodies are:
- Crofters Commission
- Highlands and Islands Enterprise
- National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland
- National Museums of Scotland—required by statute at least every three years, but voluntarily produces an annual report
- National Galleries of Scotland—required by statute every three years, but voluntarily produces an annual report
- New Town development corporations
- Red Deer Commission
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
- Scottish Agricultural Wages Board—as part of the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries annual report, which is a Command Paper
- Scottish Enterprise
- Scottish Examination Board
- Scottish Homes
- Scottish Legal Aid Board
- Scottish Natural Heritage
- Scottish Tourist Board.
Some bodies publish reports on a non-statutory basis. They are:
- Accounts Commission for Scotland
- Edinburgh New Town Conservation Committee
- National Library of Scotland
- Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland
- Scottish Arts Council
- Scottish Community Education Council
- Scottish Film Council
- Scottish Further Education Unit
- Scottish Higher Education Funding Council
- Scottish Medical Practices Committee
- Scottish Sports Council.
Those bodies which are required to publish their annual accounts under the terms of the Companies Acts, the Friendly Societies Acts or other legislation are:
- Hannah Research Institute
- Macaulay Land Research Institute
- Moredun Research Institute
- Rowett Research Institute
- Scottish Crop Research Institute
- River Purification Boards
- Scottish Council for Educational Technology
271 - Scottish Hospital Endowments Research Trust
- Scottish Seed Potato Development Council
- Scottish Vocational Education Council.
Some bodies are required by statute to submit annual accounts to the Secretary of State who is obliged to pass them to the Comptroller and Auditor General. He is then obliged to lay copies of them before Parliament. These bodies are:
- Accounts Commission for Scotland
- Highlands and Islands Enterprise
- National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland
- National Library of Scotland
- National Galleries of Scotland
- National Museums of Scotland
- New Town Development Corporations
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
- Scottish Enterprise
- Scottish Examination Board
- Scottish Higher Education Funding Council
- Scottish Homes
- Scottish Legal Aid Board
- Scottish Natural Heritage
- Scottish Tourist Board.
The Scottish Sports Council makes its accounts available on a voluntary basis.
No executive NDPB sponsored by my Department is required to publish the minutes of its meetings on a statutory basis. Livingston development corporation voluntarily makes available for public inspection the minutes of those parts of its meetings which it opens to members of the public.
No executive NDPB sponsored by my Department is required to publish the agenda of its meetings and none does so.
Information about members' interests is available from Companies House in relation to executive NDPBs which are covered by the Companies Acts and the Friendly Societies Acts. These bodies are:
- Hannah Research Institute
- Macaulay Land Use Research Institute
- Moredun Research Institute
- Scottish Crop Research Institute
- Scottish Council for Educational Technology
- Scottish Vocational Education Council.
Although registers of members' interests are held by a number of other executive NDPBs none is required to publish them. The National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland and Scottish Homes voluntarily publish a register of members' interests. The Scottish Legal Aid Board will be publishing a register in its annual report, which will be available about July. Some other bodies hold registers which are, or will be during the course of this year, available for inspection at the offices of the body. These are: Highlands and Islands Enterprise—financial decisions relating to registered interests are published in the annual report; National Museums of Scotland—available from August 1996; 272W Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Enterprise—summary available at time of annual report and financial transactions involving board members published in annual report and accounts; Scottish Film Council and Scottish Higher Education Funding Council.